May 2, 2000

Winners of statewide creative-thinking competition announced

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By Lissette Linares

RICHMOND, Va. — More than 800 students from across Virginia competed in Destination ImagiNation on April 29 at Virginia Commonwealth University. The statewide competition, formerly held in cooperation with Odyssey of the Mind, was sponsored by the Virginia OM Association, Inc., to encourage teams of students in grades K-12 to use creative-thinking skills to solve complex problems.

Teams competed in one of five competitions. They were: to build a roller coaster for tennis balls; present a half-hour improvisation of one of 12 famous people; use music to tell a story or create a mood; build a structure made entirely of pasta and glue; or create the story of a lost species faced with challenges to its survival.

The winners by competition and category are:

    • If Music is the Food of Life…Play On
      • : Elementary: Short Pump Elementary School, Henrico; Intermediate: Jack Jouett Middle School, Albemarle; Secondary: Rockbridge County High School, Lexington;
    • Mixing Apples and Oranges
      • : Elementary: Short Pump Elementary School, Henrico; Intermediate: Jack Jouett Middle School, Albemarle; and Secondary: Cave Spring High School, Roanoke;
    • Fruit Roller Coaster: Elementary: Broadus Wood Elementary School, Albemarle; Intermediate: Wilbur Pence Middle School, Rockingham; and Secondary: Albemarle County High School, Albemarle;
    • It’s Not Impastable
      • : Elementary: Crestwood Intermediate School, Chesapeake; Intermediate: Crestwood Middle School, Chesapeake; and Secondary: Warren County Junior High School, Front Royal;
    • Instant Pudding Improv
      • : Elementary: Watauga Elementary School, Abingdon; Intermediate: Andrew Lewis Middle School, Salem; and Secondary: Frank Cox High School, Virginia Beach.

Destination ImagiNation at VCU was sponsored by the Virginia OM Association, Inc., and the VCU Alumni Association. Winners will go on to compete against other state winners at the Destination ImagiNation international competition, to be held in Ames, Iowa, May 24-28.